Being a WoW fan doesn't mean you're an MMO fan

by Brooke Pilley Jul 3rd 2009 at 4:00PM

Syncaine posted an interesting article on his blog discussing why he thinks there hasn't been much uptake in the majority of MMOs released since World of Warcraft. Basically, he believes that just because you enjoy playing WoW, it doesn't mean you'll enjoy other MMOs.

The post goes on to say that there are many more non-MMO gamers than MMO gamers out there who simply can't fathom spending a monthly fee to repeatedly kill ten rats or grind out the perfect PvP character over several months time. They have much more accessible and engaging singleplayer RPGs or FPS games for that, right?

The main point he aims to make is that designers should stop chasing non-MMO gamers and focus on those who are already fans. On the other hand, hasn't our genre become a bit pigeon-holed as of late? Isn't the biggest and best part of an MMO the community aspect and not the DIKU-based über-grind? We hope so! Couldn't we maybe expand our acceptance of what MMOs are and challenge the boundaries of what they could be? Maybe that's a viable route toward making those who do not care actually care.

Tags: blizzard, game-design, kill-ten-rats, mmo-industry, syncaine, world-of-warcraft, wow

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Archipelagos said on 4:15PM 7-03-2009

Go forward. Not backwards.

UltimateQ said on 4:21PM 7-03-2009

I kind of like the uber grind games. At least then they don't disguise their grind under the guise of "Quests". I find it less tedious to get groups and grind the hell out of levels by killing rats, than to do quests solo.

What is the point of playing an MMO if you just play it solo, grinding quests all day. The main reason I play any game is to play with friends.

I will agree in a logical sense that he is right. Because saying that someone is a fan of MMO's because he plays WoW is non sequitur.

ToyChristopher said on 4:26PM 7-03-2009

The thing about uber grind games is that they almost forced a community because the game was so boring that people band together to make it fun. I know I loved the ragnarok online community and that game didn't launch with a single quest.

I know that it is just general business sense that it is easier to keep the patron you already have then trying to go out and get new ones.

Sharon said on 4:34PM 7-03-2009

Oooooh, FPS Doug

Jack said on 4:35PM 7-03-2009

Being a WoW fan does mean you're an GOOD MMO fan!! And there where no good MMO releases in the last 4 year that did even come near the level that WoW is today! I keep coming back to this game over and over again!

UltimateQ said on 5:21PM 7-03-2009

Jack your such a WoW Fanboy. Your points are all subjective and arguable. I think WoW is one of the worse things that could of happened to the MMO community because it made everyone lazy. Now all the games that come out are all geared toward those same lazy gamers, Thanks to WoW.

In all of your comments all I see is "Blah blah blah, Game [X] Sucks." and, "Blah blah blah, WoW is the greatest.".

What is the point of even commenting when all you do is spew redundant refuse. You obviously have no interest in any other games because, "they all suck" to you.

Fess said on 1:20AM 7-04-2009

"Lazy Gamer"?

Seriously..."Lazy Gamer"?

Gaming, in general, is LAZY. You're sitting on your ass, clicking a mouse and mashing buttons, doing the same repetitive task for hours, if not days, at a time.

I find it idiotic and laughable, some of these basement-dwelling 'hardcore' gamers that slag on anything that isn't some horrendous, time-sink chore, in order to weed out those that maybe, just maybe, might actually have a *life* away from the glow of a computer screen.

HackJack said on 6:49AM 7-04-2009

Fess try playing WoW for a while. Now stop and start playing EVE for a while.

By now you should know what he meant by "lazy gamer".

Next time please remember that the meaning of the words is ALWAYS given by the context... and stop being an a$$.

Sharon said on 4:41PM 7-03-2009

Bah, for some reason it cut out the rest of my post. Sorry about that.

Anyways, when I went to Blizzcon last year, I noticed that there seemed to be two kinds of people who play WoW: people who didn't play games before and got into it because of a friend/spouse, and people who are "gamers." If they weren't playing WoW, they'd be playing something else... another MMO, console game, pc game, etc.

The friend I went with was part of the first group. Her boyfriend got her playing WoW. I'm part of the second group. I'm culturally a gamer. :)

Hmm... So maybe other MMOs should stop worrying about competing for WoW's non-MMO gamers, and focused on drawing the MMO fans (who tend to be the most critical, I think), who are the ones that will eventually bring the non-MMO players into the fold ? Interesting stuff!

Venekor said on 4:52PM 7-03-2009

I played mmorpgs pre WoW and i liked ones like SWG and Planetside until they got ruined and I liked WoW until that got ruined aswel. The reason I havn't played an mmorpg since 2005 is because they've all been shit and I tried them all but they all seem to clone WoW and why play a bad clone when you can play WoW?

My friends who all got into WoW want to like other mmorpgs cause they are bored of WoW but their problem is theres no other mmorpg out there that gets combat or PVP or the graphics right etc etc. WoW just does so much right that noone else can compete with right now. My friend logs into EQ2 for the first time and hates it cause the graphics look dated and the combat sucks. My other friend tries Lotro but hates the character models, can't find a class he likes and hates that there sno real PVP. I had a few friends who played WAR including me and we all think it has crap graphics and none of us can find a class we like and it feels like a crap version of WoW.

Thing is why pay to play crap mmorpgs when you can play the best? Which is WoW.

crsh said on 5:10PM 7-03-2009

Just the same way that you can be a MMO fan and not like WoW at all.

UltimateQ said on 5:22PM 7-03-2009

That's a great way of looking at it. Nice way to reverse the argument. +1 for you!

Dblade said on 5:12PM 7-03-2009

People who like grind exp mobs tend to forget that group based ones make it much harder unless you have the optimal setup. If you like to play a weaker than average job for exp, or you can't find a tank or healer, you are sitting on your fingers doing griny farming and questing anyways. The thing about WoW style kill ten rats is that it allows progression when it would otherwise be impossible.

Otherwise, get used to soloing mobs anyways, just a lot more inefficiently, as you wait multiple hours LFP.

Keen said on 5:28PM 7-03-2009

Funny thing, isn't it, that people can like one thing and not like another? It's an elementary concept.

I like chocolate ice cream. Does that mean I like ice cream? Perhaps. All chocolate ice cream is ice cream but not all ice cream is chocolate. That is why we call them "preferences".

Let's file this part under the "duh" category.

As for designing for those who already play these games instead of attracting new players, it's not that simple. Which people already playing do you design for? Do you make a game for the WoW players or the EVE players? The WAR or the LOTRO? In the end people need to stop worrying about innovation and who they design for altogether and just make a game.

I've said it countless times but I'll say it again: Challenging the boundaries 'just because' is a great way to make a lousy game. Don't fix what isn't broken. Don't innovate where innovation is not needed. Stop trying to redefine this industry with every new release and focus on how you can make your game the best game it can be, whether that be improving a single mechanic or nothing at all.

HackJack said on 7:04AM 7-04-2009

I agree with you about the preferences and I also agree with the call to "just make games". What I don't agree with are the last phrases: "don't innovate where innovation is not needed".

Innovation is a concept born from our very own human mental functions: we created "innovation" because it is the main explication of our intrinsic curiosity. Without it there no search for new things and where there's no search there's also no humanity.

We are humans and because of that we search... new ways, new meanings, new FUN! Innovation is inevitable since it's the very engine that drives us as a species. We MUST innovate even where there is no need for it because if we don't we'll just limit ourselves to the already obvious and settled ways and ending up dead like still water.

wolfsterne said on 5:43PM 7-03-2009

MMO are a funny thing...they were originally designed for the D&D fantasy crowd, but they were taken over by the Doom crowd, then by the Micro Managers, and now the non-gamer. all of these groups claim they are or were the core audience. I thin we are seeing the last Kill 10 X game with Aion even though it's polished to a spit shine folks just can't bring themselves to do virtually the same thing yet again.

The new MMO are not really MMO's they are Online Role Playing games like TOR, GW2, Champions, STO, and DCUO. These games take the single player RPG experience and open it up to a persistent world....also look for many of this new breed to be item mall or have the GW business model..the days of Joe slide rule Raider are gone...players want to have adventures now that doesn't include delivering X or killing Y.

I doubt the genre will be lamented that much.

O77er said on 6:22PM 7-03-2009

i never thought i would be an outside WoW sort of MMO gamer... then i started playing AoC - rad!

i cancelled my WoW account and now play AoC exclusively.

i tried other titles such as eve and LoTR to Runes of Magic and guild wars - nothing was for me until AoC - hope to see some of you there!

Jack said on 7:13PM 7-03-2009

There is no game or mmo that is got the content that WoW had out there trust me I look into many!! I burn out many times on WoW and I keep coming back like there is noting like it out there! And really Lazy gamers..... Man what the hell they not even play games WoW is not really that easy and most people got a day job and want enjoy and process in there games... I known blizzard got some bad service and does not really listen to there players but so far the game is still fun every update they do always include some kind of content the game story is deep and spin off books and comics.... in the next patch they will remove some of the gold prices for mounts like most people not like grind! The events are fun and the cheesements so how work!

Dethgar said on 7:29PM 7-03-2009

Thats because WoW copies all the unique elements found in other MMO's, dumbs them down, and throws them into the same pot. This has made the market stagnant and investors weary of anything that will deviate from their record of success.

Everything Blizzard has ever created has been a huge rip off of another story or game, even Starcraft.